Inadequate food handling and poor hand hygiene play a major role in the occurrence of foodborne diseases. The objective of this study was to find out if the level of microbial contamination on the hands of food preparers varies by time during their working period. This study focused on the contamination of aerobic plate count,total and fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp. Sampling from left hand and right hand of twenty food preparers was done with glove-juice method at every two hours during their work. Microbiological testing was conducted according to the Food Code of Korea. The microbiological load on the hands was changed over time. Samples taken from their hands before work and at 8 hours showed higher levels of bacteria than those taken at 2, 4, and 6 hours during work and/or after work (p < 0.05). The contamination levels of microorganisms were consistently higher in right hand than in left hand. Poor hand hygiene practices were indicated by the positive results for total and fecal coliforms, E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. on the hands of some food preparers. This study indicates food preparers' hands can be a vehicle of pathogen during their work. The results of this study emphasize the importance of hand hygiene education and training targeting the food preparers.
In this study, we used coal-based activated carbons and charcoal as startingmaterials, phenolic resin (PR) as a binder, and TOS as a titanium source to prepare TiO2 combining spherical shaped activated carbon photocatalysts. The textural properties of the activated carbon photocatalysts (SACP) were characterized by specific surface area (BET), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), iodine adsorption, strength intensity, and pressure drop. The photocatalytic activities of the SACPs were characterized by degradation of the organic dyes Methylene Blue (MB), Methylene Orange (MO), and Rhodamine B (Rh. B) and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) experiment. The surface properties are shown by SEM. The XRD patterns of the composites showed that the SACP composite contained a typical single, clear anatase phase. The EDX spectro for the elemental indentification showed the presence of C and O with Ti peaks. According to the results, the spherical activated carbon photocatalysts sample of AOP prepared with activated carbon formed the best spherical shape, a high BET surface area, iodine adsorption capability and strength value, and the lowest pressure drop, and the photocatalytic activity was better than samples prepared with charcoal. We compared the degradation effects among three kinds of dyes. MB solution degraded with the SACP is better than any other dye solutions.
In this study, the effects of silver treatment and activation on the physical and chemical properties of spherical activated carbon (SAC) were studied. The textural properties of SAC were characterized by BET surface area, XRD, SEM, iodine adsorption, strength intensity, pressure drop and antibacterial effects. BET surface areas of SACs decreased with an increase of the amount of PR before and after activation, and the BET surface areas of SACs were found to be about 2-3 times the size of those before activation. The XRD patterns showed their existing state as stable Ag crystals and carbon structure. The Ag particles are seaweedlike and uniform, being approximately 5-10 μm in size deposited on the surface of activated carbon. All of the samples had much more iodine adsorption capability after activation than before activation. The strength values of SACs increased with an increase of the amount of PR, and there was a smaller drop in the strength values of SACs with silver treatment than with non-silver treatment after activation. The Ag-SAC composites showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. Coli).
Hand-washing is one of the most important factors in infection control and in preventing crosscontamination. The objective of this study was to investigate female university students’ awareness of hand-washing, their hand washing practices, and the difference between their awareness and practices. A self-administered questionnaire survey and direct observation in restrooms were separately carried out in a university campus and over four weeks’ period. A total of 97.4% of the survey respondents claimed to wash their hands after using toilet, and 98.2% of the observed students actually did so according to the unnoticed observational study. However, only 6.3% of the students who washed their hands in the direct observation washed for more than 10 seconds, although 46.4% of respondents in the survey reported that they usually wash their hands for more than 10 seconds. Among the observed students who washed their hands, only 0.9% used soap, and 0.9% washed four parts of their hands. Paper towel was the most common hand-drying method in the direct observation and also in the survey. Significant differences were found in duration, use of soap, part of washing, and hand-drying method between the questionnaire survey and the direct observation (p<0.05). This study indicates that there is a noticeable difference between the awareness of handwashing and hand-washing practices among female university students. Further research should examine hand-washing practices of female university students in restrooms outside the university campus.
The optimal design of floating type fisheries facilities in the open sea is demanded considering with the severe hydrodynamic forces on floating body, mooring tension and holding force of anchor. For conserving the facilities in most effective state, design and selection of anchor system is one of the most important fundamental subject. To enhance the design procedure of anchor system the holding forces of anchor are investigated by the hydraulic model test and are compared with the typical conventional results for various anchors. Applicability of previous estimation methods of holding force are checked and holding mechanism of anchor is discussed. Using the results a new computational concept of holding force is suggested considering mainly the effects of passive soil pressure (resistance), steady soil pressure, and surface friction etc. The new estimation method is proved as a feasible one by comparing the results of hydraulic model experiments. Applicability of various anchors to the anchor system on open sea fisheries structures is comprehensively reviewed using the present model tests and previous study results in the viewpoint of economy, construction and stability etc. Using the results, fundamental anchoring system design procedures are suggested to apply huge marine ranching complex with increase of the holding capacity of anchor under the optimum cost.